Karen Mariano

I have been in the Cannabis Realm for most of my life, from the Legacy market to the Legal market. I started my career learning every aspect of Tourism and over the years have worked in all areas from Accounting, Food Service, Retail, Golf Services, Sales and Marketing, Travel Trade Sales and running of a $22 million Dollar tourism facility. 5 years ago knowing Cannabis was going to be legal throughout the country, I was invited to chat with some friends that were thinking of opening a Cannabis Store. Right away I said lets do this and my mind went wild thinking of how we could incorporate a Cannabis Workshop. Tourism in Niagara is our only Industry so logically Cannabis Education and Workshops is a natural fit to join the rest of our Tourism Products, Attractions, Restaurants, Wine, Beer, Cider and Distilled Drinks.
Over the past 5 years I have spoken on many panels in regards to Cannabis in Tourism from TIAO to CannExpo to Lift n Co.
2 years ago we opened our first store on HWY 420 and Stanley avenue and this Fall we are opening up NIAGARA’S ORIGINAL CANNABIS TOURISM CENTRE. This property has not only a store front for sales but also separate rooms for workshops with its own separate entrance and consumption areas/including bus drop off and pick up. We partnered with the local tour companies to have us as a stop on their specialty tours and also partnered with local hotels and concierges to help promote and push Cannabis lovers through our facility. We are excited for our Grand Opening and plan to have monthly specials that will highlight the holidays in this area from Grape and Wine Festival in September, Pumpkin Carving in October, Gingerbread House Making in November and December. We also have a variety of other partners such as Comedians, Cannabis Chefs (we have our own kitchen on property as well) and MIxologists where you will learn to make Cannabis Cocktails!
I’m excited that I have been able to create and implement these wonderful new Cannabis Experiences and look forward to the future and putting Cannabis in the forefront in the Tourism Market.
This past year I have also been appointed a Board Member to the Canadian Cannabis Tourism Alliance and am the MEMBER CHAIR. We as an Alliance work together to bring Consistency, Fairness, Transparency and Equality throughout all the provinces in the Cannabis Tourism Forum. The future is bright and full of promise for Cannabis Tourism!